An entrepreneurial duo from upstate New York is trying to redefine “productivity” with a Kickstarter campaign supporting pedal-powered workstations for laptops and other electronic devices. The machines, called the “Big Rig” and the “Pedal Genny,” can power anything from food processors to electric generators.

The products’ creators say they want to make people more aware of their energy usage by showing them what it takes to do something as simple as turn on a laptop. (In two hours of pedaling, most adults can generate enough energy to charge a laptop for three to six hours.) But the project also fits into a growing trend of incorporating a physical workout into daily activity — think pedaling in the backseat of a taxicab or working from a treadmill desk.

The campaign launched October 31, and the goal is to raise $10,000 by December 30, to recruit designers to produce more pedal-powered machines. As of November 11, contributors had raised $5,798 toward their goal.

Unfortunately, the average Joe or Jane probably won’t be ordering one of these gizmos anytime soon. The base unit for the Big Rig, which can power an electric generator and water pump at the same time, costs more than $2,000, while the single-function Pedal Genny costs more than $650. Maybe next they’ll develop a pedal-powered device that produces extra cash?

Do you think these pedal-powered workstations will actually make people more conscious of energy usage? Let us know in the comments below or tweet the author at @ShanaDLebowitz.